nearly-midnight

Loosely based on my family history, hopefully to have a more historical theme to it. Please feel free to download any photographs that you find interesting. The photographs have been reduced in size and quality! Please acknowledge them in the comments box. Continuing to add some more information all the time and tweak the design. Bit more colour too. Plenty more photos and information to add. Now living in a Linux world. Its making life so much easier!

It seems all focused on Tottington and broadly the Bury/Bolton area. This of course will continue to grow. However my father can trace his history back to Harmston, thence to India, Cornwall and then via London to Tottington. Pix and info to follow. He had a large family too! Then of course is my wife's family, father from what we thought was originally Sussex, but we now know Hampshire! Last but not least my mother-in-Law, part German and part Polish.Probably time for some sort of Genealogy table!

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Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates - also Searches

I am now in a position to search for your relatives in the Archives that I can get into. For a flat fee - not decided yet- to order from the GRO certificates on your behalf. This will include the search, the ordering and posting to you. I suspect the fee will be around £20. There will be a cut off time when I am not sure I can trace your relative. Advice willingly given by email. 10% of all fees to Kiva.Total failure - complete refund!

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LazyLikeSunday is the centre of the whole shebang. The Memorial blog is a selection of memorial and inscriptions. Slowly growing quite large! The Roadmarkers blog is trying to keep track of our local landscape and record what is at risk of disappearing.

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About Me

Long been fascinated about everything, Family archivist, Radio Ham and runner - long distance walker. Interested in social history and pretty perturbed at the speed of change in the world. Hopefully leave a permanent legacy for my children and the World at large - here's hoping!!!My website LazylikeSunday is growing apace and will soon start being bigger than Amazon, Microsoft, Google etc.

War memorials is a bit of a specialty, although they have become somewhat abused and ignored over the years, they have a wealth of information about families and times gone by. Those inside churches are more interesting and always worth recording. Photographing those memorials that have lovingly been polished for 60 plus years can be a pig though!

Amazingly positive encounters with the people I meet in churches - they have information and knowledge about the grounds that is invisible to the person(me!) traveling through. Always helpful - Thankyou to you all...

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Managed to purchase three old photographs of Tottington on the web. I believe they are all dated about 1900. There is a little history behind each one, hopefully others will add to them too. Apologies to anyone who bid against me, I was determined to own them! Do not hesitate to download or copy them. I have considerably better scans than the one's on the web. Please ask if you intend to publish them!

The reverse of this picture says "Market Street, Tottington.
Apart from the cobbled street, Tottington Village hasn't really changed muctoo much. Picture courtesy of Elizabeth Hayhurst.
It was printed by Nostagia ink. I fancy the original, which I don't have is a photo. _ It will have been Sepia. I can find limited references to "Nostalgia Ink" and no refeferences to "Elizabeth Hayhurst" that seem to be remotely likely.

The comments seem quite correct - the left hand side of the road has not altered.

This is a scan of a postcard in my possession. It looks like the camera was positioned on the right-hand side of Stormer Hill looking towards Greenmount. The line of trees are at the side s of the stream that runs from left to right from under Brookhouse Bridge. The Building right in the centre is Brookhouse farm - the home of the Wood family. Just toe left out of view would be the little community of Brookhouse. Behind the big tree on the left a faint outline of path winds to Fishers Farm. Henry Fisher used to deliver our milk when we lived at Brookhouse. I went to school with his son. A faint outline of Holcombe Hill reveals Peel Tower. This was opened in 1852.

Peel Tower again in the background. My guess is that it was taken from above Turton road. I am assuming these houses are positioned on Turton Road. The road runs right into Tottington. At the bottom of the valley the stream runs left to right, from Two Brooks reservoir past Bottoms Hall past Brookhouse and appears in the photo above this one. The middle of the picture shows Hollymount Convent - It has a strange past - there are many researchers on the case. Strangely the back of the postcard reads "From Fred Lomax with his regards" How very odd - How did this photo finds its way to Oslo from Tottington?

I may add to this posting - I just wanted to add the pix. I think I also need to add links into the important pages it relates too.

Tottington Station, My Guess early 50's. It was certainly photographed from on top of the bridge that heads towards the lodges. The 2 squarish buildings belonged to a foundary. That road was unadopted and was always rutted. The houses on the top right went straight to the bottom of whitehead Gardens past St Annes Church. My mother was born on this street. As you went left you could turn up past the foundary onto a playing field which was just below the library. The tennis courts are still there too. This was a short cut from Brookhouse. If you down load the picture you can see an outline of houses. This is the rear of Laural street where the secondary modern school was built. The railway line in the picture goes to Holcombe brook to the right and down to Bury on the left. I don't remember the station, but I must have seen it. You can still see the third rail in the track.

Monday, 25 November 2013

Really quite unsure of where to put this picture, but I settled for Nearly -Midnight. The station was still there when I first went to Greenmount Primary School. I can remember just being on a train on this line when I was very small. They finished running passenger trains in 1952! The goods traffic continued until 1963 - All the way through my primary years and beyond. This picture certainly shows the station in use. I seem to think the train is coming this way. That is from Holcombe Brook to Tottington and possibly all the way into Bury. The line looks due north from here. The shadows are from the east. This seems to suggest a fairly early in the morning summery day as the leaves are on the trees. The children are not in school, perhaps its a Saturday!

Greenmount Railway Station

The bridge is still there, at least this half certainly is. The ramp that descends to the station is still there too, it does not quite look the same.

The building at the top is the school, it has not changed at all - even
inside. On my next visit back I will try and photograph from the same
place. The station was knocked down quite quickly I think, but the
railway lines were left for ages. For us lads it was a challenge to see
how far we could walk along the track. There are more pictures to add
very shortly. There was another way off the station from where the two
girls were.

The angle of this picture is almost identical to the one above - only about 60 years on!
Even before this became an "official" path the railway line was used to get from Greenmount to Tottington. The track the other-side of the bridge was not filled in then.

The line went through the bridge and continued to Holcombe Brook. The picture below is really "the end of the line", difficult to know quite when it was taken. I suspect the middle to late 60's

Holcombe Brook terminus - sidings
I think the houses are probably the backs of Longsite road.

I do recall gettting on a train here - an electic one I think with my mother. This is Sunnywood Station. Roughly half way between tottington and Woolfold where we lived, we were probably visiting friends. Mrs Bently I guess she lived very close to the railway. The station is completely buried under modern housing now

Sunnywood Halt
I think this is looking south towards Bury from Tottington. The main road would be to the right of the railway.
There are more photos here as well as more information about the line.

So I wanted to bring it bang up to date so this is how Greenmount railway station looked at the end of March 2014

Looking down the "railway track" I was standing on the bridge that used to be here.

Looking back up the track. This is a very similar shot to the first and second Black and White ones.

A shot of my old school I would be standing on the bridge here.

Unless any more photos turn up. I will probably not be visiting here again - blog wise that is!

Monday, 3 June 2013

I had the good fortune to meet the head of the Ahmadiyya community several times, I met him in his private office and we had a deep conversation about my Great Grandfather Henry Martyn-Clark. I found him deep, sincere and extremely likeable man, very knowledgeable about my family. Great charisma and a worthy leader. Liked him a lot. My host was anxious about the meeting, for him it was the culmination of research and he must have been desperate for it to go well - It did. I visited the Ahmadiyya community display and was extremely impressed and of course visited the mosque, not once but twice. We were very much aware that our Great Grandfather's were at loggerheads - for me I feel that our respective differences have been truly buried!

I made a promise to my host that I would speak at Jalsa Salana 2012, about my Great Grandfather - I immediately said yes - then thought what the... Great honour of course. Many thoughts coursed through my mind, most of them help!

I was in the company of very interesting and knowledgble people and an opportunity that would not come again. It was the very last day of the Olymics in London when I caught the train to Alton. Greeted at the station, and transported to Jalsa. Proceedings did not start till later in the day. There were many speeches before mine, all interesting of course. The huge tent filled and I suppose I was left to the very end. His Holiness took the central podium and the air became electric with anticipation - This is not good for the nerves. My host said just read the speech and take your time! (the best advice!) I was called. This is the speech I read:

Your Holiness, my
friends,

I am the Great Grandson
of Henry Martyn-Clark. He is perhaps infamous in the history of your
faith, but I would like to tell you a little more about his
background , his character and achievements. Then my perceptions and
finally a little about myself and my father.

Henry was adopted by
the Reverend Robert Clark and his wife in 1875. It is thought that he
was left outside the Reverend Clark’s mission in 1875 in Peshawar.
It is believed that Reverend and Mrs Clark has just lost their first
born child. He was known to be an Afghan. I suggest that the name
Henry Martyn was in acknowledgement and affection for Henry Martyn,
the the Priest and Missionary whose life influenced Robert Clarks’s
mission. May I point out that the Clarks had eleven children, I
think. It is thought from my own family history that some of these
were also adopted local children. I am indeed in touch with the
grandson of another of Henry’s brothers.

Henry was educated at
Edinburgh University and he obtained his Medical Doctors degrees in
1881. At the same time he also passed his divinity qualifications to
become a missionary. This was achieved by the age of 24. At the same
time he also courted a Scottish girl, Mary Emma Ireland. They married
in January 1882.

In February the same
year Henry and his new bride of 12 days set off to join his father in
Amritsar to work as a Medical Missionary. The same journey that his
Father and his new bride took about 30 years previously.

In 1882 his eldest son
was born, Walter Martyn-Clark and in 1887 my Grandfather Robert Eric
Noel Martyn-Clark was born, he was born on Christmas day. Both sons
were born in Amritsar. They became doctors, qualified at Edinburgh
University too – there does seem to be a pattern appearing here! I
do not know when they qualified or even returned to India. They were
caught up in the Great War as Medical men – both returned to
Edinburgh on Henry's death in 1916.

Henry had returned to
the UK in the years 1892 where he presented a paper on Malaria – he
had mentioned the mosquito as the cause, but there was no evidence to
support this, I still have the publication as well as letters from
Herbert Morton Stanley's wife. Henry had also produced a Punjabi to
English dictionary too. He was certainly in London in 1893 to report
to a Royal Commission on the use of opium. I must presume that he
returned to Amritsar at this time. His father wasn't well.

In 1897 Henry
Martyn-Clark filed a complaint against Hudhoor whom he alleged had
plotted to murder him. Hudhoor behaved impeccably believing rightly
that the truth was above the lies perpetrated towards him.

Robert Clark died in
1900, Henry was present at his death. It is difficult to know when
Henry returned to Edinburgh. He did lecture at Edinburgh University
on Tropical diseases, He also had an extensive medical practice too.
He died buried in the Dean Cemetery. For a man who had a large
influence in India and Scotland it really is a little sad and lonely.
I did not discover the grave until quite recently -

Henry had dissolved
into the mists of time. However I did feel drawn to it by a higher
power.

As I was hunting down
my late Great Grandfather, little did I realise that my soon to be
friend Asif, was also on my trail! I had known that someone had
requested a photo of Henry's grave. I had a friend request from him,
an email too. Well he's an excellent researcher and also very
persuasive. He visited me in Lytham, interviewed me and persuaded me
to visit London. I visited the exhibition, also both Mosques, but the
highlight was an audience with his Holiness. Very difficult to put in
words what I felt. A depth of feeling, warmth and understanding I
have never felt before. Here was a good man, a great leader.
Sincerity with humility. I was shaken – I still am. I returned for
the peace conference. We spoke again. I had the same feelings. As I
do now.

I wish to bring the
history a little up to date. My father was the male influence in
life. I was privileged to know him for 30 years. He spoke little of
his parents, he like me had never met Henry. He was educated at
boarding school and he and his sister only saw their parents during
school holidays. His own father died when he was 7 and his mother
when he was 9. He was adopted by his mother's sisters - in Cornwall
- they had been nurses in the Punjab too. He was a restless chap,
intelligent and articulate – he had started his degree in
Horticulture when the Second World War broke out: He signed up
immediately – he wanted to go East! And he got his wish! Captured
by the Japanese incarcerated with the Ghurkas, most people content to
survive, my father had learned their language. It was to become
useful. Surviving the war with a gift for languages and immense
frustration and a couple of false starts he became a primary school
teacher. He loved the job – children loved him but there was always
something missing – a deeper need. In the late 50's fuelled by
political circumstances, education extended to those with
disabilities and difficulties. My father saw this as his vocation. As
a remedial teacher he was working in schools in Bury and Manchester.
There was tremendous growth in the Asian population at this time.
They were astounded and not a little suspicious to find a white man
talking in their own language. He was taken to their hearts!

On his early death, the
community built a memorial garden in his honour. I together with my
mother and wife were guests at the opening. Sadly the school is no
longer there.

I have returned to the
beginning, Shocked and very pleasantly surprised by the reception I
have had. Never dreamed that I would find out so much. The internet
is such a fantastic place. So perhaps a few words about myself.
Qualified as an engineer, worked for a large electronics company,
again like my father became very restless, entered teaching and soon
became concerned with those learners with disabilities and
difficulties. Wanting to know more, qualified as a Dyslexia teacher
from Edinburgh University. Currently working at Blackpool and the
Fylde college coordinating support as a Specialist Support Tutor.

I am indebted to you all. Love for all and Hatred for none has been
theme in my own family and will continue to be so.

It does indeed feel strange to put this in print - but events overtook me. I suppose that I really wanted to know more about my family and got far more than I bargained for - still coming to terms with it.
Here are pictures of the event:

During the speech

Behind us is sitting the speakers who have spoken,This is clearer in the lower pictures

On the right, against the wall are the speakers who made speeches throughout the afternoon. I was one of the later speakers.

It would be good to return, just to soak up the atmosphere. Much of the speech above is contained in the website.

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Walter Ireland Martyn-Clark was the elder son of Henry Martyn-Clark. Also a doctor he recieved his medical degrees from Edinburgh University. He was born in Amritsar. He travelled extensively. He became the incumbent doctor at the Mount at Ardentinny in Scotland. I will revise this page when I get time with dates and places.These are the pictures from Ardentinny.

Here is a picture taken of the two brothers in India. Walter is the elder and Eric is to the right.

The reverse of the photo, clearly
shows an Indian adress

Walter was born in Amritsar on the 15th of November 1882. He obtained his degree from Edinburgh Medical school 20th October 1906. Married Mary A Kendall on the 9th of March 1911 on the George the IV in Edinburgh. I know he served out in Africa during the war - He was there at his fathers death. His mother died at Ardentinny.

He died in Luton in 1943, no idea why he was there at all.

As shown on the Photos below he had a daughter Daphne Martyn-Clark - I believe she married a Terence Hicks and lived in Roehampton

They are from a small booklet I have.

Steamer at Ardentinny

Not sure of the view or the location, Perhaps its looking back at the Mount.

Daphne and my Father
Daphne was the only child of Walter and Aunt Nell.

I called this mystery woman, but
as I look at it it seems that it is probably Aunt Nell

Daphne and my father are between the two girls.
I have no idea who they may be - possibly local. There were no close family members of this age.

This throws the above comment into confusion. Daphne was older than my father.
Yet they seem like family members, Why else would they be on the photo - seem like sisters?

Walter and his wife

A family gathering.
Daphne in the middle at front - my father far left.
How old would he be 10 to 12 I guess - make the photo about 1935ish.

A copy of the probate confirming Mary as his widow. Oddly it mentions Llandudno?

The writing is my mothers. More research needed. Walter Martyn-Clark would be my Great Uncle. Andrew seemed very fond of Daphne - but he never made any attempt to contact her in later years.

Monday, 27 May 2013

1. I have added pictures and an interpretation of Henry's farewell Scroll when he left India to return to Edinburgh. This has always been in the family and it feels extremely odd that it is now being published on the internet. (Feels that something that was private has now become public - secret).

It is however not for sale or loan. There is a possibility that it will be preserved. As a historical document it is hugely interesting. I will take better pictures of it but a larger file is available should anyone like a copy. Please email.

2. Thanks for the hits people - there seems to be an increase of interest in this history. I am rather perplexed by the Wikipedia page that has suddenly appeared - I really would like to thank Dr Muhammad Ali (Drali1954) for putting this page up. As he is a member of the Ahmadiyya community it's possible we have met. I am sure we could have an interesting time together - perhaps to meet?

3. Decided to show the photos of Henry's grave here together with my comments. Seems a little appropriate because the page on Henry is about him as a doctor, working and in fact very much alive.

I have visited 3 times. The first time I was on a works trip to the Glasgow and Edinburgh. This was OK. I knew the grave was in the Dean's cemetery but I had no clue where it was. My feet were drawn almost unerringly to the grave. It is quite a long walk to the Deans from where we were parked in the City Centre. Very oddly I got lost approaching the hill on the other side of the main bridge that led there.

The only way to the cemetery was across a locked private park, I would have had to walk round otherwise. There was no time for anything other than a quick recce if I did this. At that moment an elderly gent appeared asked me my business in a quiet Scottish voice, I quickly explained and he led me through. I crossed the road to the main gates straight on and to the right I was standing in front of the grave. Not especially a believer in divine providence, but convinced I was helped that day! I took some pictures on the old digital I had. These are not the ones.

As I put my hand on the gravestone whispered the thanks and the other things you say at moments like this I felt a distinct tingling in my body. It seemed to say thanks for coming - can't explain it. The times I have revisited done the same thing - but the tingling's gone.

There are no clues on the stone. I expected some more information, it seems a little strange to have no other inscription on the stone. It almost expects it be there.

Henry's wife (Mary Eliza (Emma) Ireland lived on for quite a while longer.I believe she moved in with her eldest son in Ardentinny and died there ion the 29th of January 1935

Not to far from the path

Quite insignificant, How did I find it?

This view is from just of the path.The main gates are behind me.

I will revisit, something makes me. My colleague from the Ahmadiyya Community found the grave shortly before me. But he is a better researcher than me!

Got to continue with my research. I will continue posting in any of the blogs.

Friday, 9 November 2012

My mother was a local secretary of the local RSPCA - the Bury branch. Many of her friends and the people who visited were local animal mad people. The local vet Peter and Hazel Nutt ( Yes I know... P.Nutt and Hazel Nutt)became firm family friends. This page may develop links that develop, but at the moment, just about the animals that were special to me... especially Wyn. Her full name was Blodwyn, a Welsh white Border Collie. Beautiful dog, wonderful temperament and she was with us all the way through my childhood and even until I went to college. I suspect she must have been about 16 - 18 when she died. She had to be put to sleep on a Christmas eve... Epileptic fit that she never came out of.

Wyn - on a beach, probably Cornwall

However her's was a long and happy life. She was there when I returned
from school to Whitelegge street in Woolfold. Tom had something to do
with her appearance. She was just a very tiny puppy in a basket in front
of the gas fire in the dining room. The floors were covered in
newspaper. Puddles everywhere. I really don't recall any other times at
Woolfold with her. The family were on the move to Brookhouse.

Wyn, quite young at the back at Brookhouse. That's my Grandmother Jane Lomax and our hero.
The date on the back says 1961 - makes me 11. Wyn will have been about 5. My Dad built the wall.

On a beach with my mother, I guess about the same time as above.
The dog was horribly carsick, I remember her vomiting down the back of his neck.
We used to drive all the way down to Cornwall with the windows open.

It's a sheep, - called Fred. He was found as a lamb at the side of a road with very injuries that appeared to be a fox attack. He was patched up by the vet with little hope of survival. My mother spent nights giving him bottles and keeping him warm. Survived, completely comical followed my mother everywhere (Mary had a little....). He had some very odd traits in the house, Vertical jumping, leaping off furniture, butting everything, Wyn seemed to have weighed him up, but the cat and my Aunt were never quite the same. A 5 stone sheep hurtling of a 3 foot settee is indeed quite scary.

He was a star, and became the club mascot at Derby County FC.
We drove down and we presented the Ram to the club, slap up meal and watched the match from the directors box. Met Brian Clough - seemed a nice chap. I thought the Baseball Ground was very enclosed.Fred the sheep was castrated on the field behind the house by the vet (same vet!)... He just cut off his testicles and threw them to a couple of watching magpies... who ate them as magpies do! I still wince.

Frequently fell asleep with her paw behind her ear, strangely she must have exuded such a gentle aura that even the cat felt quite content to fall asleep with her. I think those are Aunt Irene's legs, definitely taken at Brookhouse.

We tramped miles together, never really saw her tired, one glorious day we walked past Pilgrims Cross, beyond the Grane and close to Burnley before heading home again. She was a really loyal dog and loved every one. The will be more added about the animals in my life later.